This section provides background information related to the present disclosure that is not necessarily prior art.
Inflators for inflating an air bag or other inflatable restraint in a vehicle typically include an initiator device for igniting a gas generant material that is contained in the inflator. The initiator device can include a pyrotechnic device configured to ignite the gas generant material upon actuation. Such an initiator device can be inherently sensitive to electrostatic discharge (ESD) energy, which is a product of triboelectric charging that can occur naturally in a vehicle interior, as is known in the art. As a result, various design approaches have been implemented to mitigate such ESD energy in an effort to ensure that such energy does not affect the functionality of the initiator device.
Two common design approaches include the use of a defined spark gap or a varistor. One drawback of the defined spark gap approach is that the initiator must be designed to include a specifically toleranced air gap, which is often difficult due to initiator design and packaging constraints. In addition, the defined spark gap approach typically results in an abrupt discharge of stored ESD energy once the ESD energy reaches the breakdown voltage potential of air. Regarding the use of varistors, they are discrete purchased components that require additional processing during manufacturing of the initiator device, as well as are often not feasible due to cost constraints.
Thus, while initiator devices with defined spark gaps or varistors work for their intended purpose, there remains a need for continuous improvement in the relevant art.